Glad Tidings Church

Weekly Announcements Sun, May 13th

Katie MacLaughlin Testimony Sun, Apr 8th

Testimony: Small Groups Thu, Mar 15th

“To say that our small group tonight was amazing would be an understatement.
We had 16 people plus children show up at our house. There were 3 more
people that said that they were not able to make it tonight but will come
next week.

The Lord was truly present! Even though 95% of these people had never been
in my home before, it was like we were with old friends. We had a wonderful
time of fellowship, and during our time of sermon notes we had several that
really shared their walk with Christ. We laughed and cried tonight. We ate
a lot of food, and the last couple stayed until 9:45. I asked everyone to
make at least an eight week commitment, and I feel that everyone will come
back. I would never want to turn future people away, but we are at our
capacity if everyone truly makes a commitment to stay.

Thank you for all your encouragement, the Lord really provided.”

–Wendi Reed

New Youth Pastors Sun, Feb 26th

Prayer Line Wed, Feb 15th

The Glad Tidings Prayer Phone Line is now live allowing us to pray for those in need here in Omaha, Council Bluffs and our surrounding metro. If you or someone you know is in need of prayer and an answer from God or hear the truth of God’s word, call the prayer phone line at 855.2GO.PRAY (855.246.7729).

Share Your Live Dead Testimonies Sun, Jan 22nd

There have been many testimonies of what God is doing through The Live Dead Challenge. If you have a testimony you’d like to share, send it to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or post it on our Facebook wall. Let us know if its okay to share your testimony on our website or in a service. If you’d prefer it kept private, that’s fine too.

“I want to start out by saying that for the first 15 days of this study I have felt somewhat confused, depressed, unsure of my christian walk and isolated from the Lord.  Only in the past couple of days have I started to see God revealing to me the process inwhich I am going through.

I have dealt with fear, anger, resentment and depression for many years. I am an only child and my parents were divorced when I was 9 years old.  I watched as my mother / father split after 26 yrs of marriage and towards the end my mother was so full of hate and discord towards my father that it took it’s toll on her in not only a physical manner but still to this day mentally.  I was so torn up by my parents divorce that at the age of 15 i tried to commit suicide for I felt that I was the cause of their marriage issues and placed the blame on myself.  I did not see “love” as an outward expression as a child but I did see much anger; bitterness, resentment and mental issues.

I accepted Jesus as my Saviour back in July of 1992 and by the grace of God I have been able to work through many of these issues , however I still struggle with fear and at times anger.  I was not so sure about doing this study and even rememeber saying to my wife Stephanie - why did you get two books for one would have been enough. This would have been my way of “coping out” regarding the study.  I remember sitting down for my prayer time and seeing my copy of the book laid out by my bible. I started to pray regarding this study and I realized that it was my obligation to God to prepare and read this study each day for I remember Walt when you said that we are going to give God the month of January. I had no idea how this study was about to reach me personally.

Since I have been reading the live dead study I have had to deal with a mother who is ill, my own personal physical issues, depression, uncertainness, anger, frustration and of course fear. I was speaking to my wife the other night and seemed that I was just in a “dark spot”, however I opened my bible to Psalm 84 and started reading.  As I started to read I started to weep for I realized that God was opening my eye’s and heart and the verse’s that really struck a chord with me are verses 5&6. Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs, the autumn rains also cover it with pools.

I was intrigued by the verse’s that spoke about the pilgrimiage and the valley of baca and after looking this up in my bible this is what was said

The pilgrimage to the temple passed throguh the barren Valley of Baca. No specific valley has been identified with baca. Because baca can mean “weeping” it may be a symbolic reference to the times of struggles and tears through which people must pass on their way to meet God.  Growing strong in God’s presence is often preceded by a journey through barren places in our lives.  The person who lives to spend time with God will see his or her adversity as an opportunity to re experience God’s faithfulness. If you are walking through your own Valley of Baca today, be sure your pilgrimage leads toward God, not away from him.

After reading this I just started to weep for I now see God’s hand over my situation and how he was revealing this to me. I am grateful for the live dead challenge and how it is helping me to see what God is wanting to do in my life and the life of my family. God will give us the means to walk along his paths, however we must do the walking and when we chose to obey him he will not hold anything back that helps us serve him.  Praise and glory and honor be to our Saviour JESUS CHRIST.”

–Scott A Kurcz

The Live Dead Challenge Sun, Jan 1st

God has called us to prepare and equip for 2012 by spending extravagant time with Jesus. We believe that by giving God the first fruits of our time, we are developing abiding habits that will continue throughout the rest of the year. During the month of January, 2012 we want to encourage all of Glad Tidings to take part in the Live Dead Challenge.

The Live Dead Challenge is to spend personal time with God every day and attend at least one corporate prayer meeting a week. For some people, you may need to be challenged more and you may want to come to one prayer meeting a day. We want everyone to go through The Live Dead Journal, a daily devotion, beginning January 1. The Live Dead Journal will be available in the Lobby for $5 each. The church will be open for prayer every day from 6am to 10pm, in the West Fellowship Hall, and we will have 3 corporate prayer meetings every day at 6am, 12pm, 6:30pm.

Our goal is that this January, every person at Glad Tidings will be spending more time with God through prayer, bible study, and personal devotion time. As we draw near to Jesus during this time, we will be equipped to fulfill our mission to reach the lost, leading all people from all backgrounds to real transformation in Christ.

A Special Announcement about Pastor Rice and Patsy Sun, Nov 27th

Dear Glad Tidings family,

After 20 years of faithful minsitry here at Glad Tidings, God has lead Pastor Howard and Pasty Rice to accept a position as the campus pastors at Skyline Health and Living Center here in Omaha. The Rices will be moving to Skyline and will be able to enjoy all the amenities Skyline has to offer including a fully furnished apartment. God is truely taking care of His servants and I know the Rices feel so blessed. Their last sunday with us will be Jan 1, 2012, however, they will still be in Omaha and are more than welcome to worship with their Glad Tidings family at any time. Below you will find the a letter from Pastor Rice about how God has oppened this door for them and what their new responsibilities will be.

Words cannot express how much we love the Rices and how much we will miss them. Their lives and faithful ministry at Glad Tidings have been some of the best sermons ever preached! We are planning an appreciation and send off Sunday for the Rices in the near future. Stay tuned!

Moving forward, I plan to distribute Pastor Rice’s pastoral care responsibilites and ministry to seniors to our existing team. More on that in the days to come.  Let’s be in prayer for the Rices and Glad Tidings as we follow the Lord’s leading in this transition.

One of my favorite Psalms to look to in times of change is the 23rd Psalm.  David says, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall lack nothing.” That pretty much says it all.

We love you all.

Pastor Walt and Kerrie

A letter From Pastor Rice and Patsy

TO:  Pastor Walt, Staff members, church board, Glad Tidings members and friends:

SUBJECT:  The special elements of God’s will (For times of transition)

OUR CALL TO MINISTRY:  November 18TH, 1957 at our home church,  Topeka, Kansas

GOD GAVE US A MANDATE:  (We asked Him to open the right doors)
I Peter 5:2-4 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by restraint but willingly, not for for dishonest gain, but eagerly not as being Lords over God’s heritage, but being examples to the flock. And when the cheif shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of glory that fades not away.

THE MINISTRY PROCESS:  (We were to honor)
Ps. 11:3 “God’s work is honorable and glorious”
I cor 3:9 “For now then we are laborers together with God” (A partnership)
Acts 20:28 Therefore be responsible to watch over the flock which the Holy Spirit has made you
overseers, to shepherd God’s church which He purchased with His own blood.”

HOW GOD OPENS THOSE DOOR AHEAD OF US:
It always involved two elements…...

1. The leading of the Holy Spirit and fervent prayer
2.  And men who extended us an invitation to consider a new ministry

That is true of churches we have pastored, serving with State and National ministries, Teen Challenge, Glad Tidings these past 20 years at the invitation of Pastor Rick Cole and church board.

Six months ago, we were invited to lunch with Lou Jackson, president and owner of some 42 senior health care and retirement centers, nation wide, inviting us to pray and consider serving our local Skyline manor, retirement, assisted living, and health care center as campus pastor/chaplain role. Lou Jackson is a pentecostal christian with Assembly of God roots. After months of prayer and soul searching, we felt a release!

On October 22, 2011. Patsy and I met with Lou Jackson over lunch and agreed to accept their invitation to serve on the team at Skyline effective January 3rd 2012. We will serve a congregation of some 250 residents in the 3 seperate departments.

I have served a number of years on an advisory board at Skyline, Patsy and I have conducted chapel services there 19 years, so have made friends with staff and residents over the years.

Please know how much we love every person at Glad Tidings, young and old, appreciate the privilege of serving with several pastors over the years, and our love and prayers will linger on here, after our departure. If you question anyone, let it only be God who has opened this door ahead of us. Paul said: I Cor.16:9 “For a great and effective door has opened
to me”...and Acts 20:22 I go bound in the spirit, not knowing the challenges I will face there.”

Serving Him and others,
Pastor Rice and Patsy

Bible Purchase Guidance Wed, Nov 2nd

With the responsibility that accompanies our role as shepherds of God’s flock and entails many aspects of an individual’s relationship with God, others and our growth in Christ, we want to issue a warning concerning a recent Bible translation being published by Bliblica and Zondervan Publishing House. Below is a copy of an Official Resolution regarding the newest translation of the New International Version of the Bible issued by the Souther Baptist Convention. Glad Tidings Church fully endorses their technical characterization of the translation and their position on the dangers of the translation communicated in their resolution.

We at Glad Tidings Church are frequently asked by individuals for recommendations as to what Bible versions to use for study or daily devotionals. This newest version of the NIV is one that we do not recommend of either. Previous published versions of the NIV are still widely accepted in the general church community as well as at Glad Tidings Church. Please use caution and discretion whenever you are deciding on a new Bible purchase. God’s word is inspired, inerrant, and infallible in its original languages. The men and women who translate the original languages are not. If you do not have confidence in your selecting of a Bible translation, we encourage you to seek guidance from a mature believer or pastoral staff. We desire to see any believer grow in the knowledge and understanding of the inspired scriptures. Proper, healthy growth will only take place with “healthy” food. A bad Bible translation will inhibit and even harm proper, healthy spiritual growth that comes with the correct understanding of the nature of God, His provisions, promises, blessings, and warnings to His followers. (2 Timothy 3:16–17)

WHEREAS, Many Southern Baptist pastors and laypeople have trusted and used the 1984 New International Version (NIV) translation to the great benefit of the Kingdom; and

WHEREAS, Biblica and Zondervan Publishing House are publishing an updated version of the New International Version (NIV) which incorporates gender neutral methods of translation; and

WHEREAS, Southern Baptists repeatedly have affirmed our commitment to the full inspiration and authority of Scripture (2 Timothy 3:15-16) and, in 1997, urged every Bible publisher and translation group to resist “gender-neutral” translation of Scripture; and

WHEREAS, This translation alters the meaning of hundreds of verses, most significantly by erasing gender-specific details which appear in the original language; and

WHEREAS, Although it is possible for Bible scholars to disagree about translation methods or which English words best translate the original languages, the 2011 NIV has gone beyond acceptable translation standards; and

WHEREAS, Seventy-five percent of the inaccurate gender language found in the TNIV is retained in the 2011 NIV; and

WHEREAS, The Southern Baptist Convention has passed a similar resolution concerning the TNIV in 2002; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the messengers of the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, June 14-15, 2011 express profound disappointment with Biblica and Zondervan Publishing House for this inaccurate translation of God’s inspired Scripture; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we encourage pastors to make their congregations aware of the translation errors found in the 2011 NIV; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we respectfully request that LifeWay not make this inaccurate translation available for sale in their bookstores; and be it finally

RESOLVED, That we cannot commend the 2011 NIV to Southern Baptists or the larger Christian community.

Scan and download this week’s Bulletin Mon, Oct 31st

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